FarmerCon, as always, was the highlight of the year for Meteor House! Not only did we release Phileas Fogg and the War of Shadows by Josh Reynolds, and our reprint edition of The Evil in Pemberley House by Philip José Farmer and Win Scott Eckert, but we announced three new exciting books to be published in the next year!

First is Airship Hunters by Jim Beard and Duane Spurlock:

1897. The skies are haunted by mysterious airships and unfathomable secrets.

Tasked with hunting down these strange vehicles of the air and determining their origin and intent, two U.S. government agents toil under unusual conditions to supply their shadowy superiors with information. But that information proves to be as elusive as the airships themselves.

Ride with Agents Valiantine and Cabot across the Midwest as they encounter reports of strange lights, phantom soldiers, unreliable witnesses, and the ultimate source of their airborne prey.

They are the Airship Hunters, and they cannot be waylaid from their path to uncover the greatest mystery of them all.

Second is Hadon, King of Opar and Blood of Ancient Opar by Christopher Paul Carey:

Ancient Opar Returns!

Two new authorized novellas in Philip José Farmer’s epic saga of Khokarsa, a civilization lost to the mists of time. Christopher Paul Carey, coauthor of The Song of Kwasin, will be writing the two novellas based on Farmer’s notes.

Twelve thousand years ago, the vast empire of Khokarsa ringed the shores of ancient Africa’s inland seas. In the novels Hadon of Ancient Opar, Flight to Opar, and The Song of Kwasin, the hero Hadon and his giant cousin Kwasin led the battle against the priests of the sun god Resu, who sought to usurp the beneficent rule of the priestesses of Kho. Twenty years have passed since the heroes’ victory, and mighty Khokarsa lies in ruin, victim to a continent-wide earthquake. Of all the cities of the empire, only shining Opar, the city of gold and jewels, remains standing. Now, Hadon must lead his people against a brutal enemy that seeks to pillage Opar’s most precious treasures and slaughter its king.

Third is The Monster on Hold by Philip José Farmer & Win Scott Eckert:

Win Scott Eckert has entered into an agreement with the Estate of Philip José Farmer to complete the Doc Caliban novel The Monster on Hold!

The Monster on Hold. The Unspeakable Threshold. Down to Earth’s Centre.

The very titles evoke the sense of mystery and horror that the bronze-hued superman, Doc Caliban, feels when faced with another descent deep into a subterranean complex to confront an unfathomable evil–an evil that is described, but never explained, in the final Doc Savage novel published during the original pulp run, Up from Earth’s Center, written by Lester Dent.

Philip José Farmer utilized all three titles, at various times, while working on his fourth Nine book. However, The Monster on Hold was the latest title, and the one under which he announced the book at the 1983 World Fantasy Convention. Thus, it’s only fitting that this Doc Caliban adventure will finally appear under the title best known to Farmer’s legions of fans.

Eckert, under Farmer’s direction, previously completed another unfinished Farmer manuscript, The Evil in Pemberley House. He also served as series editor for the recent Titan Books editions of the Nine novels (rebranded for the reissues as the Secrets of the Nine series), and will faithfully utilize all known prose by Farmer, as well as all existing notes, in completing the fourth novel–including little-seen text found in a folder in Farmer’s “Magic Filing Cabinet,” which was very suitably labeled “Cthulhu Story.”

If you already own a copy of Exiles of Kho and/or The Scarlet Jaguar, you know on the acknowledgments page there is a long list of those readers who preordered the books and made their publication possible.

How cool is that? How many other publishers do that?

Our latest novella, Phileas Fogg and the War of Shadows by Josh Reynolds will also have this list of preorderers whose names will be immortalized as those being wise enough to have purchased the book before it came out—without whom, the book would not have been published.

If you would like to be one of those visionaries, your time is running out! This book will go into production next week so in order for your name to appear on the acknowledgments page, you must preorder no later than this Thursday, May 15th.

Don’t miss out and have this be a regret you live with for the rest of your life, order today!

On the heels of announcing the ebook edition of The Scarlet Jaguar(an Original Pat Wildman Adventure) by Win Scott Eckert, Meteor House is completely over the moon to announce our publication of the original Pat Wildman adventure: The Evil in Pemberley House by Philip José Farmer and Win Scott Eckert!

Out of print since 2010, this hard-to-find gem is now available in an affordable edition from Meteor House. The Evil in Pemberley House was previously only available in a $40 hardcover limited edition, and a $60 signed and numbered limited edition, our $20 trade paperback is a golden opportunity for those who missed the long out-of-print hardcover and will be a welcome addition to any library.

But wait, there’s more! Our trade edition also includes these bonus features not found in the trade hardcover:

Foreword to the 2014 Edition

A Pemberley House/Wold Newton Family graphic tree

An Expanded Pemberley House/Wold Newton Family graphic tree, including SPOILERS from the novel

Outline for the novel by Philip José Farmer

A timeline of key events in the novel by Win Scott Eckert

A “Creative Mythography” essay by Win Scott Eckert, about the research and writing of the novel and ensuring it remained in continuity with Farmer’s other Wold Newtonian works, such as Tarzan Alive, Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life, and The Adventure of the Peerless Peer

Don’t forget, if you preorder by June 30th, your copy will be signed by Win Scott Eckert at FarmerCon IX in early August (all books will be shipped after FarmerCon, unless of course you come to FarmerCon, then you get your copy in person and we’ll refund the shipping charge!).

Winner of the 2014 New Pulp Award for best novella, The Scarlet Jaguar was published as a Signed Limited Edition trade paperback in the summer of 2013 and quickly sold out. If you missed getting a copy, now is your chance as Meteor House is pleased to release the digital edition for Amazon’s Kindle devices. (A Barnes & Noble Nook version will follow soon.)

The Scarlet Jaguar, a sequel to The Evil in Pemberley House (cowritten by Philip José Farmer and Win Scott Eckert), is Pat Wildman’s second adventure, but by no means her last, as Eckert is hard at work transcribing her next exploit.

THE SCARLET JAGUAR

When we last saw Patricia Wildman, daughter of Doc Wildman, the bronze champion of justice, six months had passed since the main events of The Evil in Pemberley House. She and her associate Parker, an ex-Scotland Yard Inspector, had set up Empire State Investigations at her Pemberley House estate—and she just received a mysterious phone call from her supposedly late father . . .

Several months later, Pat and Parker undertake an investigation that takes them from Pemberley House in the Derbyshire countryside . . . To New York, where they battle agents of the Scarlet Jaguar and meet Pat’s old friend, the icy, pale-skinned beauty Helen Benson, who agrees to join them on their quest . . . To the small nation of Xibum, where the evil Scarlet Jaguar’s reign of uncanny assassinations threatens to expand to the rest of Central America—and beyond!

Now, it’s a race against time deep in the wilds of the Central American jungle, as Pat Wildman and her crew confront the Scarlet Jaguar’s weird power to eliminate his enemies from afar, marked only by a wisp of crimson smoke—smoke resembling nothing so much as the head of a blood-red screaming jaguar. But who—or what—is the Scarlet Jaguar? A power-mad dictator determined to reclaim power? A revolutionary movement bent on taking over the country, and the rest of Central America?

How prolific, you ask? Rather than tell you about it here, let us direct you to his interview over at the Official Philip José Farmer Website. It’s the fifth interview in thier long-neglected (nudge nudge) series of interviews with writers influenced by Philip José Farmer.

Here are a few of our favorite moments from the interview:

The latter is one of the reasons I still re-read Farmer to this day—he’s so damn exuberant about all of these authors that you can’t help but feel your enthusiasm for the originals rekindled when you read something of his that references them.

It is almost a certainty that such will occur at a future date. The Exposition was a big deal, lot of people there. Probably at least four novellas going on at the same time. One of ‘em probably involves a robot.

It’s certain to whet your appetite, not only for Phileas Fogg and the War of Shadows, (which you should preorder now, while you still can…) but for Josh’s other work as well. There are even links to stories you can read for free online!

Meteor House is thrilled to announce the third in our series of Signed Limited Edition Novellas based on the works of Philip José Farmer.

Phileas Fogg and the War of Shadowsis an exciting sequel to Farmer’s The Other Log of Phileas Fogg, which we all know is the “true story” behind the events of Jules Verne’s novel, Around the World in Eighty Days.

In this all-new adventure Phileas Fogg has settled into a life of quiet sequestration in the rural idyll of his family estate with his wife and children. The millenia-old conflict which once threatened to consume him is over and done. Or so he thought. But when an old foe disrupts his peaceful retirement, seeking his aid against an enemy which threatens them both, Fogg finds himself once more thrown into the white-hot crucible of war.

Now, with his loved ones under threat of death, and accompanied by the unpredictable colonel who has been described as the second most dangerous man in London, Fogg must dare the dangers of the City of Light in order to uncover the deadly secrets hidden beneath the streets of Paris. And as the wonders of the Exposition Universelle unfold around him and the air quivers with the impossible reverberation of nine great clangings, Fogg must plunge into the shadowed depths of the Parisian catacombs on the trail of his phantom enemy…

This is a story you don’t want to miss, but don’t just take our word for it:

“With all the verve, sense of adventure, and sly reference to classic literature that I’ve come to love and expect in his work, Josh Reynolds carries forward the secret history of Phileas Fogg in a manner both highly entertaining and true to the spirit of Philip José Farmer.” — Christopher Paul Carey (author of Exiles of Kho)

“The best Wold Newton stories tell a rollicking adventure tale, first and foremost, while also subtlety advancing the larger mythos. Josh Reynolds’ sequel to Philip Josè Farmer’s The Other Log of Phileas Fogg delivers in spades, with tale of high adventure that satisfies on both levels. Bravo! I eagerly await the next chapter in Fogg’s ongoing exploits.” — Win Scott Eckert (author of The Scarlet Jaguar)

As with our previous Signed Limited Edition Novellas, if you pre-order—now through May 15th—your name will appear in the book on the acknowledgments page! How cool is that? These pre-orders also determine the print run of each edition. Since these novella sell out in just a few months, pre-ordering is the only way to guarantee you will get a copy.

Many of our readers said they would prefer our Signed Limited Novellas in hardcover, and now you have a choice:

$15 for the Trade Paperback (plus shipping)
$25 for the Hardcover (plus shipping)
$35 for both! (add only the same shipping cost as the hardcover)

Seriously, who ever heard of $15 for a signed limited edition? Or only $25 for a signed limited edition hardcover with a dust jacket? And you if buy the hardcover you can get the trade paperback for only $10 more? No wonder Meteor House is your favorite micro-publisher!

We’re pleased as punch here at Meteor House that our second Signed Limited Edition novella, Win Scott Eckert’s adventure tale The Scarlet Jaguar, has won the 2014 New Pulp Award for Best Novella. As if that weren’t enough, cover artist Mark Sparacio has won the award for Best Cover, again for The Scarlet Jaguar.

Published last summer and making its debut at the 2013 PulpFest/FarmerCon, Win Scott Eckert’s adventure is a sequel to Philip José Farmer and Win Scott Eckert’s Wold Newton novel The Evil in Pemberley House, about Patricia Wildman, daughter of one of the greatest heroes of our time: Doc Wildman, the bronze champion of justice. The Scarlet Jaguar kicked off a series of new adventures of Pat Wildman and her crew, and the Limited Edition quickly sold out.

But worry not! If you missed out on this now out-of-print collectible, the ebook edition will be released in a few short weeks. Follow us here and on Facebook for the latest news on this and other Meteor House releases.

Exiles of Kho by Christopher Paul Carey was our first Signed Limited Edition novella. If you missed out on this now out-of-print collectible, here is your chance to read how Sahhindar, the Grey-Eyed Time Traveling God, who made brief appearances in Flight to Opar and The Song of Kwasin, influenced the course of the Khokarsan Empire.

The ebook even features the original cover, and interior, art by Mike Hoffman!

Even if you already own a signed copy of Exiles of Kho, you know you want to read it again. At only $3.99, now you can keep your signed copy pristine and reread the novella to your heart’s content.

Many thanks to those stalwart fans who preordered The Worlds of Philip José Farmer 4 nearly sight-unseen; only knowing the Foreword is written by Robert Silverberg and expecting the collection will be just full of interesting and enlightening nonfiction, and exciting fiction—some new, some old and all about or by Philip José Farmer—as the first three volumes. This collection includes great personal recollections of Phil, some of the best new fiction we’ve published, insightful articles about his work, and the longest piece published in Worlds to date—reprinted for the first time anywhere—the original version of “Moth and Rust!”

Without further ado, here is the Table of Contents for The Worlds of Philip José Farmer 4: Voyages to Strange Days:

Foreword by Robert SilverbergPeoria-Colored Worlds
The Case of the Curious Contradiction by Terry Bibo
Eleven Days in Springtime by François Mottier
Philip José Farmer Conquirt L’Univers Postface by Philip José Farmer
Pekon 2 Guest of Honor Speech by Philip José FarmerExpanded Worlds
Samdroo and the Grassman by Martin Gately
Whiteness of the Whale by Danny Adams
Ite, Missa Est by Paul Spiteri
Antlers of Flesh by E. C. Lisic
The Goddess Equation by Christopher Paul CareyClassic Worlds
A Carmody-Raspold Chronology by Christopher Paul Carey
Letter of Discord by Philip José Farmer
For Where Your Treasure Is by Art Sippo
Moth and Rust by Philip José Farmer

At last, the news you have all been waiting for, the first of many book announcements for 2014, The Worlds of Philip José Farmer 4: Voyages to Strange Days is due out this Spring and is now available for preorder!

Cover Art by Laura Givens

While the first three volumes in the series have focused on unique aspects of Farmer’s career, such as, his disregard for literary boundaries, his penchant for the softer sciences, and his trickster nature, volume 4 focuses on his more “traditional” science fiction—the science fiction of the future (occasionally the really distant future) featuring interstellar travel, aliens, war, scientists, the usual suspects in Golden Age science fiction.

While the full table of contents is not ready to be announced, we can say that volume 4 will be the thickest volume yet! We can also tell you that the foreword is by science fiction Grand Master Robert Silverberg and is in fact, a much longer version of his Reflections column from the February 2014 issue of Asimov’s.

As we’ve done in the past, the first 100 readers to preorder will receive a limited edition bookmark with their purchase!